


rising star, falling star

by Rockium



Series: the thoughts of ghosts and other things along the way [1]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Gen, Hurt No Comfort, I wrote this instead of celebrating my birthday, Morally Ambiguous Character, POV Third Person Limited, Regret, alternatively don’t and have fun, no happy ending, not beta read I die like Mettaton does at the end, read Entity NEO for context, though I regret nothing personally, what even is normal anymore lol, y’know like a normal person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-16 00:20:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29198283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rockium/pseuds/Rockium
Summary: With only so much time left, Mettaton finds himself urgently pursuing one last errand - sending a letter. Trying to make amends. It’s definitely not enough, but it’s the most he can do right now.(A third-person perspective retelling of chapter 1 of Entity NEO, an Undertale Napstablook-centric fancomic.)
Relationships: Alphys & Mettaton (Undertale), Mettaton & Napstablook (Undertale)
Series: the thoughts of ghosts and other things along the way [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2084034
Kudos: 7





	rising star, falling star

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Entity NEO](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/754653) by Mod NEO and Mod Migosp. 



> Write this stupid angsty oneshot, I said. It’ll be fun, I said. Cue concentrated pain.
> 
> Without further ado, have the thing that I thought would be a good birthday present for myself, because apparently I love making myself cry.

Freshly formed dust clumps on the human’s toy knife like the falling snow around them, and they saunter on through Snowdin Forest like it is no big deal at all.

Another monster is ripped open by their weapon and dissipates into powdery white, indistinguishable from the icy ground. And then another. And another.

It’s no wonder that Alphys’s eyes are transfixed to the screen, Mettaton muses, noting the sheer horror etched into her crestfallen gasp. Her claws tremble just the tiniest bit more when the human, hair matted and coated with dust, looks directly at the camera and flashes a wide, sadistic grin.

“I don’t like this, Doctor…”

Even though he can’t see their eyes under their fringe, he knows the human is glaring at both Alphys and him too, likely vowing to find and end them both. The thought sends chills down his wires.

“T-they…” Alphys stutters, her quivering voice barely rising above a hushed whisper. “Undyne...Undyne could defeat them…right?”

As much as he wants to put faith in the abilities of the captain of the royal guard, something in the back of his mind doubts that. That maybe even her efforts won’t be enough to stop this human, who is now cutting up an innocent Ice Cap with chilling, disturbing glee.

If Undyne were to fall, then what would become of everyone?...

“...Alphys.” He rests a gloved hand on the Doctor’s shoulder, and is mildly startled by just how _cold_ she is. “We must consider what we’re seeing. Should they...come here…” ...an unlikely possibility, he tells himself, but a possibility nevertheless, “we need to have a plan. We need to...we need to have everyone evacuated.”

Out of the corner of his vision, he eyes the crumpled wads of paper sitting at the top of the trash bin, noticing the tiny, barely legible scrawl accompanying the hand drawn diagrams, and smoothes out the sheets to find what looks like detailed evacuation plans in the event of “a major crisis”.

Right now could certainly be classified as a major crisis, what with a genocidal human embarking on a killing spree.

“...The thought has already crossed your mind, Doctor.” So she had something planned out, and planned out very recently, in particular. Mettaton doesn’t know why she chose to scrap those plans, but now is not the time to focus on that aspect.

“I...you’re right,” she sighs, anxious and resigned. “Undyne will send everyone from Waterfall here, and from here...we need to move everyone to a safe place. B-but if Undyne can’t slow that human down…” She clasps her icy, shivering claws together as she gazes up at the screen again, and gulps. “T-there’s no way we’ll all make it out in time…”

If Undyne were to fall, if this human was truly, unwaveringly determined to end every single life down here with their own two hands, if the evacuation failed...all of monsterkind would be doomed.

...unless.

Long ago, before Alphys was appointed as the Royal Scientist, before he became the star of the Underground, he had agreed to act as her successful “creation” - a robot with a soul - in order to convince the king to hire her for the job, and in exchange she would build him the body he’d always dreamed of.

With that came an extra form only ever shown on that day itself, built with a focus on offense as a means to exterminate humans. He never had a use for those combat features after Alphys was hired, though - he never had the intention to harm the humans he admired so - and honestly, after that day he thought he’d never have to think about it ever again.

Until now.

How darkly ironic it all was - he, the former ghost who had always dreamed of shining like a star amongst human fans, now had to reprise his role as a human eradication machine, all just to stop a dire threat to all of monsterkind...but if his actions at least would buy another second for the evacuation, and save another life…

“Those who cannot fight - who _won’t_ \- they will escape. They _must._ ” Finally, he finds that old, slightly yellowed document in the back of Alphys’s drawer, and beholds Project NEO for the second - and probably last - time in his life.

The duty of a star is to be a shining beacon of hope for their fans, especially in times of crisis - and that is what he must be now. After all, what is a star without an audience?

“As for the rest of us...we just need time to prepare.”

For his fans, he would lay down his life.

...before that, though…

* * *

_Hey Blooky. It’s me._

So many times before he had started his drafts with those few words, only to scrap them when he couldn’t think of anything else to say, couldn’t figure out how exactly to apologize. How does one properly express regret to the cousin they abandoned for the spotlight?

_It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?_

That’s a gross understatement, he knows - he can no longer recall the last time he’d seen them physically. Truth be told, he’d always longed to visit them again, but the life of a star is extremely demanding - appear on this show, pose for that magazine cover, feature on these albums - he’d been putting off making time in his schedule to see them again for so long, and now? It’s far too late to make amends.

_I just wanted to say that I was wrong to leave you here...what I did was totally selfish. Unforgivable, even._

For a lengthy moment his fountain pen quivers above the letter, hesitating as the guilt and regret crushes him all at once. There was another reason why he’d delayed visiting his cousin again, one rooted primarily in fear. How would they react to him dropping by without prior notice, after he’d just up and left them as suddenly before?

_I’m not fit to be called your family, I know…_

...maybe that was why he had purposefully filled out his schedule, kept himself occupied at almost all hours of the day. Maybe it was all his fault that he couldn’t make time to visit them - because he’d broken their trust, _his promise,_ and he was too much of a coward to even begin to face the music. After all, what self-respecting cousin breaks their promises just to pursue their own selfish ambitions?

He was making time now, at least...to say goodbye.

_But I did want to get in one last word...before that human comes here._

Goodbye, for the human is hellbent on being the harbinger of monsterkind’s destruction, on murdering everyone - his fans, his friends, him - in cold blood. As much as he tries to believe that Project NEO will succeed in ending their reign of terror, even that is a gamble - a gamble that could potentially cost him his life, if not more.

_I don’t know why this is so hard to say...I guess it’s just the shame of it._

If worst came to worst, he would have essentially abandoned his cousin twice - once in life, and once more in death. The realization is...paralyzing, to say the least. His gridded screen darkens as he stares at his pen faltering above the parchment, before he forces those thoughts away and wills himself to just _write._

_...So you know that MTT programming that’s been getting popular lately? That’s what I’ve been up to, Blooky…_

_...It’s me, Blooky._

_I’m the star of the Underground._

But that wouldn’t matter to them, no, not when all they’d probably see him as would be the cousin who abandoned them when all they wanted was to not be alone. Not once did he ever bother to write a letter home.

_I’m so sorry._

_I’m an awful cousin...but my words can’t change what lies ahead._

_Before us looms a great threat. That human...that human aims to destroy us all._

He’s decided, though - he wouldn’t let them. Not without a fight. If he could just stall the human a few extra seconds, buy more time for the evacuation, save another life...maybe then, in some roundabout way, he’d be able to make up for his inadequacies as a cousin. Or not. It doesn’t matter now.

_I, however, choose not to run away._

_I will put my combat features to use. With this body Dr. Alphys created for me, it would be cowardly of me to flee._

Coward he may be in facing his own cousin, he could never abandon his beloved fans and shy away from that heavy responsibility when everyone needs him most. Not again - he’s learned from his past failures. At least, he hopes so.

 _I’ll stop them. Or_ **_die_ ** _trying._

Thinking of the latter fills him with dread, and with it, so much regret that he took his time, his relationships for granted. Why didn’t he just contact them earlier? Or show more gratitude to Alphys for everything she’d done for him? Despite his regrets, he’s too late now.

_...I wish things didn’t have to end this way. I would have liked to have spoken with you again...in person. But I’ve gone and waited too long…_

_...I wish there were words for how truly sorry I am. I’m truly a_ **_despicable_ ** _person._

That obviously won’t even begin to make it up to them. Not in the slightest.

_I don’t expect you to forgive me...but please, do this much for me - do this one last thing for your foolish cousin._

_Stay safe._

As much as he wishes he had the time to condense a proper, more sincere apology into his letter, which he arguably should’ve done long before that human fell, he’s racing against the clock and time is running out fast.

Gloved hands trembling, he writes his final, heartfelt farewell.

_Blooky...be seeing you._

He signs his name at the bottom and slits the letter into a neat little envelope, and now there is one more thing he must do.

“I have one last errand.”

Alphys looks up from her blueprints and at the letter in his hands, concerned. “You’re...y-you’re going home.”

“Please...” he replies with none of his usual bravado, gazing at the envelope solemnly. “I know there’s no time left, but...this is my last chance to do something _right._ I’ve put this off for long enough…”

Once she nods, he turns around to make his leave, to make one last trip back to the cascades of Waterfall, promising to make it all quick.

Maybe Napstablook would forgive him, despite everything. Maybe they wouldn’t, and he would fully accept that too. After all he’s done, maybe he didn’t deserve their forgiveness at all.

...regardless, he still hopes that somehow, by some stroke of luck, he would live through all this to just see them again, and tell them just how sorry he is, and always would be.

* * *

“MY, MY, SO YOU’VE FINALLY ARRIVED.”

By the time the human walks into the room, hands too busy twirling their gun around to brush off any of the powdery white dust clinging to their shirt, Mettaton has long since sent his farewells, hugged Doctor Alphys one final time and thanked her for all she’d done for him, and came to terms with his imminent demise.

...well, not fully. Even though the human has been able to strike down Undyne, of all people, he holds out slim hope that he would be able to succeed where she fell.

...it isn’t much, but he tries regardless.

With all the courage and dauntless bravery he can muster in this moment, he flashes the human a sharp-toothed grin. Blinding light flares forth from his shoulder pauldrons and his right eye, yet his intimidating wide-open stance only serves to thinly mask his racing thoughts and all his fear screaming at him to _run._ If he had a choice now, he wouldn’t be here at all, trying to face the murderous human who had so easily taken so many lives before, and in essence staring death in its glinting red eyes.

Unfortunately, he had made that choice an eternity ago, digging up those old files in search of a backup plan, committing to standing up for those who couldn’t fight back, vowing to not let history repeat itself.

Stage lights are blaring.

The gears in his arm cannon whirr, charging up a devastating attack-

_-Bang!-_

-and it is the human who casts the first stone, gun raised and smoking from its muzzle.

He doesn’t need to see the fresh, gaping hole in his chest to feel the rippling, excruciating pain, tearing his very soul asunder with all its murderous intent, and now he knows the end is upon him.

For the last time in his life, he flashes a wide, beaming, faltering smile, as the world begins to fray at the seams.

“GH...GUESS YOU DIDN’T WANT TO JOIN MY FAN CLUB?”

As his entire life flashes before his eyes, his final thoughts are of his cousin, all of them tinged in regret - regret that his final words were in a letter, regret that he couldn’t stay over at their house for more than a fleeting moment to say goodbye.

In all his haste, he never gave himself a chance to see them one last time...and now he never would-

“ _mettaton!_ ”

-wait. He _knows_ that voice. That’s...

…… 

...but he’s already gone. 

**Author's Note:**

> I don’t think I’ll ever have to write more chapters for this thing, y’know. Just an innocent euphemism.


End file.
